UPDATED August 14.
A widening scandal in the Winnsboro Independent School District, involving administrators allegedly covering up educators’ sexual misconduct with students, may be heating up on Monday.
Supporters of School Board President Brandon Green—who was arrested last week in connection with the coverups—are expected to attend Winnsboro ISD’s school board meeting on Monday, August 17.
The agenda includes appointing new board officers.
Green’s family, friends, and fellow church members are reportedly rallying support to keep Green as board president.
The show of support is also allegedly aimed at persuading Wood County District Attorney Angela Albers. Green’s daughter suggested on social media that community members “contact the District Attorney’s Office and make your voice heard.”
Yet Winnsboro ISD’s handling of two sexual misconduct cases—one involving a coach and an 18-year-old student and one involving a female substitute teacher and an underage male student—has divided the community.
Affidavits submitted by a Texas Ranger investigating the matters describe intentional efforts by Green and other Winnsboro ISD officials—many with close personal and professional relationships—to conceal sexual misconduct and interfere with investigations.
The Ranger also attests to efforts by school officials to intimidate and retaliate against anyone speaking negatively about the district.
So far, six arrests have been made as a result of investigations by the Wood County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers.
Timeline of Winnsboro ISD Arrests
In June of 2025, Winnsboro High School teacher and coach Nicholas Gabriel was arrested for having sex with an 18-year-old high school student.
Weeks later Winnsboro High School coach Jared Lancaster was charged with failing to report Gabriel’s sexual abuse.
An arrest affidavit for Lancaster showed that he and “Coach Gabe” exchanged frequent text messages about their use of illegal drugs and sexual relations between other school staff, and openly discussed helping each other conceal their illicit activities.
In January 2026, two Winnsboro ISD superintendents were arrested for helping cover up the crimes.
Winnsboro ISD’s then-Superintendent Aaron David Nation was charged with failure to report child abuse with intent to conceal, as well as tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair an ongoing investigation for allegedly deleting contents of his cell phone, which investigators were able to recover.
Nation was also charged in February with unlawful interception of electronic communications and a second count of tampering with evidence for allegedly illegally accessing and manipulating information on the Winnsboro ISD police chief’s computer.
The district’s previous superintendent, Brian David Wilcox, was charged in January with two counts of failure to report child abuse with intent to conceal.
According to an affidavit, Wilcox acknowledged learning of abuse allegations—either from Nation or his wife, also a district employee at the time—but he “dismissed” and did not report them as required by law.
Wilcox also told the investigator that when people send him screenshots of complaints about Winnsboro ISD, he responds “don’t send me that sh*t, I don’t wanna see it. They can come talk to me instead.”
In February, Wilcox was charged with unlawful interception and evidence tampering for allegedly acting with Nation to illegally record a phone call regarding the investigation and access ISD police files.
Wilcox’s wife Ashley Ayres Wilcox was also arrested and charged with failure to report child abuse. She worked for Winnsboro ISD as a speech pathologist through the summer of 2025.
The Wilcoxes and Nation all previously worked in Atlanta ISD. Brian Wilcox and Ashley Wilcox joined Winnsboro ISD in 2020-21; Nation followed in 2021-22.
Winnsboro ISD School Board President Brandon Heath Green was arrested August 5 and charged with failure to report child abuse and tampering with physical evidence with intent to impair.
A Texas Ranger’s affidavit alleging failure to report stated Green acknowledged learning about Gabriel’s alleged sexual relationship with a student prior to the coach’s arrest, but Green claimed he didn’t know he had a mandatory duty to report child abuse—even though documentation showed he attended required training on the topic in 2020.
An affidavit alleging evidence tampering stated Green “altered, deleted, or canceled” cell phone messages with other Winnsboro ISD trustees, Brian “Dave” Wilcox, and “other individuals directly associated with Winnsboro ISD.”
Furthermore, I located additional message content implicating Green, WISD Board of Trustee members, Wilcox, and other associates in criminal activity separate from this original investigation. As well as conspiring to commit additional criminal offenses with individuals associated with Winnsboro ISD, with the intent to interfere with this investigation and court proceedings.
Despite the serious charges against him, Green attended an on-campus event this week celebrating teachers.
Green—a longtime Dallas Fire-Rescue officer—will remain on the school board unless he resigns, is finally convicted of a felony, or is successfully removed via a citizen petition and court process. Fellow trustees will decide Monday whether he remains a board officer.
Nation was replaced in July by Interim Superintendent Chris Trotter.
Another casualty of the scandal was Winnsboro ISD Police Chief Heath Guy. Guy was fired by the board in December 2025 after reporting sexual misconduct and failure to report allegations to the Texas Rangers.
A Ranger affidavit accused John “Greg” Moffat—the now-deceased brother of Winnsboro Elementary Principal Lori Green, Brandon Green’s wife—of felony retaliation.
Guy’s supporters also called his firing retaliation—the kind many say keeps parents and teachers from speaking out publicly or forces them to make complaints anonymously.
Monday’s School Board Meeting
Despite fear of retaliation, parents concerned about transparency and accountability are also rallying support to attend Monday’s school board meeting.
The board meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the Winnsboro Memorial Intermediate School cafeteria.
The board will hold a public hearing on the proposed property tax rate and budget for the 2026-27 school year at 5:30 p.m.
Questions and comments can be directed to Winnsboro ISD school board members.
Dozens of school administrators have been referred to the Texas Education Agency for failing to report abuse allegations against school staff, but few have been charged with this crime.
